System of the year, 2009 or Cambridge Audio?

[helpmemrdavies]

I've never owned a proper Hi-Fi system before - just mini systems. As I have tons and tons of CDs and records it seems about time that I bought something reasonable to play them on. I listen to mostly heavy metal, punk, and grunge. I'm really struggling, however, to find the right system! I've narrowed it down to two.

System one.

Looking at the 2009 Hi Fi winners, the Marrantz CD and Amplifier seem to be really good. I'd put them with the winning Wharfdale speakers (diamond 10.1). Most places seem to be doing deals at the moment where you can buy this set-up and get the speakers for free. I'd add a Project III Debut turntable (http://www.richersounds.com/product/turntables/project/debut-iii/proj-debut3-blk).

This was my original notion - based purely on the fact that the CD player, Amp, and speakers were all winners from a top Hi-Fi magazine. I heard this at a Hi-Fi store and it sounded good but then I am used to listening to old and cheap equipment.

System two.

I went to my local Richer Sounds to investigate the above setup and the staff there - who have always been very helpful when I have bought Tvs and other things. They were happy to sell me the above but I asked them to suggest some alternatives to help me keep a broad view. The salesman suggested that, since I listen to a lot of heavier music - he said the Marrantz could be a little "warm sounding" and that this warmth might not allow for the noise, detail and demanding layers of, say, a Nine Inch Nails track.

He's priced me up a system using Cambridge Audio and Mourdant-Short gear. I know from reading other threads that these are owned by RS and there may be a vested interest - but I was interested in hearing alternatvies.

The following system (with a discount he's offering) works out a hundred and fifty or so more than the Marrantz. He's suggested a Cambridge Audio Azure 650A amplifier and a Cambridge Audio 650C CD Player (in the review he gave me from this magazine it gets 5 stars - I now notice it's only 4 stars). He has suggested pairing this with Mordaunt Short Aviano 1 speakers. I'd also need an Azur 540p phono stage and I'd use the same Project III turntable.

I really would welcome any thoughts on this as I'm a real newbie with Hi Fi. I haven't been able to properly listen to the Cambridge Audio because Richer Sounds has no demo room. I have heard good things about them though.

Thanks.

 

[method man]

hi mate.the link with CA aside. Richer are all around and they let u pay for goods

and bring them back within a week for a full refund. not many do that. take both. even if u like the first set. take it back. get the next one. if u prefer the first aftrwards swap them over. yes it hassle. physically, travel etc. but Im glad I did it.

 

[matthewpiano]

The Cambridge 650s with the Avianos will be on the bright and clinical side, whereas the Marantz/Wharfedale pairing would be more musical and engaging over a longer period of time. It depends on what you are looking for. I had a 650A for nearly a month but ended up returning it because I just couldn't get on with its hyper-detailed and bright approach to music. My only reservation about the Marantz amp is a slightly slow bass - it can sound a bit pedestrian on occasion, but I'd have that over the excessive treble of the 650A every time.

I'd add the NAD combo I'm using to your list. It is stunning and nothing I play wrong-foots it. If you want to stick with compact speakers substituting the Qs for a pair of Dali Lektors would be a great move - read the system supertest in the current issue of WHFS&V.

 

[Messiah]

Take your music to the shop and listen to both systems. The most important thing is that you decide upon a system you like. Only you can decide whether the pricier system is better for you....

 

[PJPro]

Messiah:
Take your music to the shop and listen to both systems. The most important thing is that you decide upon a system you like. Only you can decide whether the pricier system is better for you....

There's no demo room....

 

[matthewpiano]

Messiah:
Take your music to the shop and listen to both systems. The most important thing is that you decide upon a system you like. Only you can decide whether the pricier system is better for you....

This is the crux of it. There are currently several very fine options at this sort of price level. The Marantz, Cambridge and NAD all have a quite different take on music and as Messiah suggests, only listening with your own ears can really tell you. For me, neither the Marantz or Cambridge combos were quite right, but I absolutely LOVE the NADs. For you it could be completely different.

 

[Ajani]

matthewpiano:Messiah:
Take your music to the shop and listen to both systems. The most important thing is that you decide upon a system you like. Only you can decide whether the pricier system is better for you....

This is the crux of it. There are currently several very fine options at this sort of price level. The Marantz, Cambridge and NAD all have a quite different take on music and as Messiah suggests, only listening with your own ears can really tell you. For me, neither the Marantz or Cambridge combos were quite right, but I absolutely LOVE the NADs. For you it could be completely different.

As so many previous posters have said: auditioning is critical (even if it means buying and returning)...

My first real setup was the immediate predecessor to Matthew's kit: NAD C352 Integrated and C521BEE CD Player (with Mission V63 Speakers)... and while the NAD combo never did anything wrong, it never did anything right either... and I just found it boring to listen to and lost interest in my music collection... A change to a Rotel/Marantz cured that.... However, I know many persons who loved that NAD combo (and if I'm not mistaken, the C352 was a WHF amp of the year)....

So have fun auditioning!!!

 

[Anonymous]

be aware that if you do buy and don't like it i believe richer sounds have a handling charge if the item has been opened, check before you buy.

 

[JamesOK]

Personally I dont like buying from Richer Sounds as theyre a little bit like used car salesmen in my experience. Plus the many of the shops dont have a demo room, and they will always try and sell you Cambridge Audio as thats effectively their own brand. I would suggest going to somewhere like Sevenoaks Sound and Vision or Audio T and find a range of systems to listen to. Phone ahead and give the sales person some time to set a few things up for you, then take your CDs along and have a listen. Also dont just rely on What Hifi Award winners, there is loads of good kit which WHF give less than 5 stars for a variety of reasons (not always because the sound isnt good).

 

[helpmemrdavies]

You guys have been great - and very helpful. Many thanks for all your advice. I'm off to audition the NAD and some other kit in another dealership that has a demo room and then I think I'll go back to RS and have another critical look at that CA system. It did sound rather bright and full of treble - not sure I need that with my heavy metal!

 

[JamesOK]

helpmemrdavies:You guys have been great - and very helpful. Many thanks for all your advice. I'm off to audition the NAD and some other kit in another dealership that has a demo room and then I think I'll go back to RS and have another critical look at that CA system. It did sound rather bright and full of treble - not sure I need that with my heavy metal!

Good stuff. Let us know how you get on. In a previous post I suggested going to Audio T or SSAV, I shouldve also mentioned there are many good independents out there (although none near where I live).

 

[John Duncan]

With your musical tastes I think the NADs would be most fun, certainly.

 

[Anonymous]

by the way id go with a rega turntable over the project much much better at that price level

 

[helpmemrdavies]

So here's what I did this morning - rather than go to Richer Sounds I went to a small local private dealer to audition the Marantz system with the Wharfedale 10s.

The salesman was busy but he knew I was coming to try it out and so I just went into the demo room and listened to the setup. I had about forty five minutes to an hour of listening time which was useful. I brought along some vinyl and CDs that I thought would be a good test. I have to say that while it was good, honestly I was not blown away. I'm currently using a very old Sony - early nineties, late eighties? - an XB6 that's on its last legs and I've never owned a proper Hi-Fi so I have low, low standards. Nonetheless, it just sounded 'good'. Occasionally it dug up a nuance or a detail that my rubbish equipment at home missed out, but otherwise it was sort of satisfactory. I cranked out Dead Kennedys, Metallica, early Green Day, and even some late Johnny Cash. I enjoyed it - but was that just becasue I enjoyed the music itself?

When he was free,I asked the dealer about other brands - he had a NAD system with the speakers you recommended. He didn't want to set it up for me. No other customers in the shop and I'd been hanging around for forty five minutes - the reason he gave was that the system wouldn't, in his view, be able to compete with the Marantz and so it would not be worth my time. He said the NAD could be 'demanding' and that could cause 'fatigue' if listening to it for long periods of time. Actually, that sounds exactly like what I'd be into. I'm going to go somewhere else if I can and try the NADs.

So thanks for all the advice. You've all been really helpful. I'm also going to look at the CA again - it might be bold and over-the-top with the detail and treble but then that might be better than just a good but bland stereo that I'd get with the Marantz.

 

[jimdonnelly]

It is a shame that you did not get a better service from the dealer. He should have let you decide. Hope you get what you are looking for, keep us posted.

 

[matthewpiano]

Sounds like you had the same experience with the Marantz as me. Like you say, very good but in an overly safe and almost bland way - that sluggish bass doesn't help things at all.

From what you say about your experience with the Marantz I think you'd love the NAD.

Nothing annoys me more than dealers who don't give you the option to make up your own mind. It is one of the things I really liked about my recent dealings with Richer Sounds. Although the salesman there is a big fan of the 650A he readily accepted that it might not be for everyone and seemed genuinely interested in helping me to end up with something that was right for me. People call them but they actually gave me extremely good and open minded service.

I'd also add that the NAD is definitely not designed for background music. I don't find it at all tiring however. It simply involves you in the music to the point where you very often end up stopping doing any thing else and simply enjoying what is playing. To me that is what good hi-fi is all about.

 

[Anonymous]

method man:

hi mate.the link with CA aside. Richer are all around and they let u pay for goods

and bring them back within a week for a full refund. not many do that. take both. even if u like the first set. take it back. get the next one. if u prefer the first aftrwards swap them over. yes it hassle. physically, travel etc. but Im glad I did it.

They don't seem to do this anymore. I called them today to check this as I'm interested in the 840C CDP and they told me that they don't give refunds, they only do exchanges now.

 

[gpi]

There's an old saying that goes, 'if you're going to get one, get a big one'. Just to put a spanner in the works, I don't think your choice of speakers is appropriate for the type of music you listen to - too lightweight. I think you'd be much better off in the long run buying the Marantz amp, cdp and Pro-ject or Rega turntable (doesn't matter which at this level) and looking for older, bigger speakers second hand.

 

[helpmemrdavies]

Thought I should conclude this thread by thanking everyone again for their advice. In the end I have opted for a NAD C326BEE and NAD C545BEE system with Pro-Ject turntable. I'm still running my old Sony speakers - they're 100 watt floorstanding speakers and even though they're over ten years old and not especially brilliant, with the new gear they've really come to life.

I'm going to run with these for a couple of months and then upgrade to new floorstanding speakers that will complement the NADs. (Rest assured I'll be back to ask which ones you'd all recommend nearer the time!) I'm thinking that as GPI suggested, bookshelf speakers won't really give me the growl I want.

And Richer Sounds were awesome.

 

[JamesPianoman]

Great stuff, glad you're happy with the NADs. My bro runs B&W602 floorstanders with his NADS (his system's about 6yrs old). They sound great!

 

[Tim2010]

I'm also a newbie in the world of hi-fi. Till now i have been listening to iPod speaker sets, my early 90's soundblaster (which costs a lot in that era), cheap JVC ampli-cd components with budgetspeakers,.... etc.

I have been listening last weeks a few times in different shops.

My favourites till date are the Creek Evo (entry model) or Creek Destiny (if you got a higher budget) cd players and amplifiers.

I have a broad musical taste ... from classical, pop, alternative rock, electronic, blues,...

This seems to me (so far?) as the best overall player.

According to me the Cambridge Audio and Marantz will sound too warm for heavier rock music. The Creek has more a clean but musical sound.

Entry models cost a bit more than Cambridge Azur 650 series or Marantz series in this price level ...

[Edit] Is the Nad a good player with rock music?